U.S. patent application number 12/132196 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for terminal having dual display units and method for inputting letters therein.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Jae Hyun Ahn, Ji Won JANG, Yoo Jin Lee, Ha Na Park.
Application Number | 20090040134 12/132196 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40345988 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090040134 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JANG; Ji Won ; et
al. |
February 12, 2009 |
TERMINAL HAVING DUAL DISPLAY UNITS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING LETTERS
THEREIN
Abstract
Provided are a terminal having dual display units and a method
for inputting letters therein. The terminal has a main display unit
on one side, and a sub-display unit and an input unit on other
side. When a screen-flip is requested, a second input window is
displayed on the sub-display unit while the main display unit is
displaying a first input window. When a letter is selected through
the input unit, the selected letter is displayed on the second
input window. The displayed letter is saved according to a
letter-save request. The saved letter is displayed on the first
input window. Therefore, the usability of the main display unit is
increased.
Inventors: |
JANG; Ji Won; (Seoul,
KR) ; Ahn; Jae Hyun; (Gumi-si, KR) ; Lee; Yoo
Jin; (Gumi-si, KR) ; Park; Ha Na; (Gumi-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE FARRELL LAW FIRM, P.C.
333 EARLE OVINGTON BOULEVARD, SUITE 701
UNIONDALE
NY
11553
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
40345988 |
Appl. No.: |
12/132196 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/1.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1647 20130101;
H04M 2250/70 20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101; G06F 3/0233 20130101;
G06F 1/1643 20130101; H04M 2250/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/1.1 |
International
Class: |
G09G 5/00 20060101
G09G005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 7, 2007 |
KR |
2007-0079015 |
Claims
1. A method for inputting letters in a terminal whose one side has
a main display unit and whose other side has a sub-display unit and
an input unit, the method comprising: when a screen-flip is
requested, displaying a second input window on the sub-display unit
while the main display unit is displaying a first input window;
when at least one letter is selected through the input unit,
displaying the selected at least one letter on the second input
window; saving the displayed at least one letter according to a
letter-save request; and displaying the saved at least one letter
on the first input window.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the first input
window is displayed, displaying a screen-flip key on the main
display unit, in which the screen-flip key displays the second
input window on the sub-display unit, wherein when the screen-flip
key is selected, the second input window is displayed.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying, on the
main display unit, a message that notifies that the second input
window is displayed on the sub-display unit.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: displaying a message
on the sub-display unit that notifies that the saved at least one
letter is displayed on the main display unit.
5. A terminal comprising: a main display unit for displaying a
first input window; an input unit for selecting at least one
letter, the input unit being installed to one side of the terminal
other than a side of the terminal to which the display unit is
installed; a sub-display unit, installed to the same side of the
terminal to which the input unit is installed, for displaying a
second input window; and a controller for, when a screen-flip is
requested, displaying, the second input window on the sub-display
unit while the first input window is being displayed on the main
display unit, displaying the at least one letter selected through
the input unit on the second input window, saving the displayed at
least one letter according to a letter-saving request, and
displaying the saved at least one letter on the first input
window.
6. The terminal of claim 5, wherein, when the first input window is
displayed on the main display unit, the controller displays a
screen-flip key on the main display unit.
7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein, when the screen-flip is
requested, the controller displays, on the main display unit, a
message that notifies that the second input window is displayed on
the sub-display unit.
8. The terminal of claim 6, wherein, upon receiving the
letter-saving request, the controller displays a message on the
sub-display unit that notifies that the saved at least one letter
is displayed on the main display unit.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(a) to a Korean Patent Application entitled "TERMINAL
HAVING DUAL DISPLAY UNITS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING LETTERS THEREIN"
filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 7, 2007
and assigned Serial No. 2007-0079015, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a communication system, and
more particularly, to a mobile communication terminal having a dual
display unit and to a method for inputting letters therein.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, with the development of mobile
communication terminal technology, mobile communication terminals
having dual display units have been manufactured and sold on the
market. As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, such conventional
terminals having dual display units are configured in such a way
that a main display unit 41 is equipped on one side, and a
sub-display unit 42 and an input unit 30 are installed on the other
side. However, since the input unit 30 is located on the same side
as the sub-display unit 42, users have difficulty inputting letters
to be displayed on the main display unit 41.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above
problems, and provides a terminal having dual display units that
can input letters to be displayed on one side of the terminal
through an input unit installed to another side of the terminal.
The present invention also provides a method for inputting letters
in the terminal having dual input units.
[0007] In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the present invention provides a method for inputting
letters in a terminal whose one side has a main display unit and
whose other side has a sub-display unit and an input unit, the
method including when screen-flip is requested, displaying a second
input window on the sub-display unit while the main display unit is
displaying a first input window; when at least one letter is
selected through the input unit, displaying the selected at least
one letter on the second input window; saving the displayed at
least one letter according to a letter-save request; and displaying
the saved at least one letter on the first input window.
[0008] In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, the present invention provides a terminal
including a display unit for displaying a first input window; an
input unit for selecting at least one letter, the input unit being
installed to one side of the terminal other than a side of the
terminal to which the display unit is installed; a sub-display
unit, installed to the same side of the terminal as the input unit,
for displaying a second input window; and a controller for when a
screen-flip is requested, displaying the second input window on the
sub-display unit while the first input window is being displayed on
the main display unit, displaying the at least one letter selected
through the input unit on the second input window, saving the
displayed at least one letter according to a letter-saving request,
and displaying the saved at least one letter on the first input
window.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The features and advantages of the present invention will be
more apparent from the following detailed description in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are views illustrating exterior
appearances of a conventional terminal;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a terminal
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing a method for inputting
letters in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0013] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4G shows screens of the terminal displayed
when the method for inputting letters as shown in FIG. 3 is
executed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention
are described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. The same reference numbers are used throughout the
drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Detailed
descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated
herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the
present invention.
[0015] The present invention is described based on a terminal
having dual display units, however, it will be appreciated that the
present invention can be applied to all information communication
devices and multimedia devices, to which dual display units can be
installed, and applications of the information communication and
multimedia devices, such as mobile communication terminals, mobile
phones, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) terminals, smart phones,
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) phones, media players, audio
devices, portable televisions, digital cameras, etc.
[0016] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
input unit and a sub-display unit are installed to a same side. The
present invention will also describe the main display unit, wherein
the main display unit displays a JAVA.TM. application established
by a JAVA.TM. language, as an example. However, it should be
understood that the present invention is not restricted to the
JAVA.TM. application of the exemplary embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a terminal
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terminal
includes a communication unit 110, a data processing unit 115, an
audio processing unit 120, an input unit 130, a display unit 140, a
storage unit 150, and a controller 180.
[0018] The communication unit 110 is configured to include a Radio
Frequency (RF) transmitter for up-converting the frequency of
transmitted signals and amplifying the transmitted signal, and an
RF receiver for low-noise amplifying received RF signals and
down-converting the frequency of the received RF signals.
[0019] The data processing unit 115 includes a transmitter for
coding and modulating transmitted signals and a receiver for
demodulating and decoding received signals, i.e, the data
processing unit 115 is configured to include a modem and a codec.
The codec includes a data codec for processing packet data etc. and
an audio codec for processing audio signals, such as voice signals.
Therefore, the data processing unit 115 serves to decode video
signals and voice signals transmitted from an opposite party's
terminal through the codec.
[0020] The audio processing unit 120 reproduces voice signals,
output from the audio codec of the data processing unit 115,
through a speaker 122, or outputs voice signals, generated through
a microphone 121, to the audio codec of the data processing unit
115.
[0021] The input unit 130 is implemented by a key-pad, a
touch-screen or touch-pad. The input unit 130 outputs a user's
input signal to the controller 180 in order to control the
operation of the terminal. The input unit 130 inputs a request
signal for flipping a screen and a request signal for storing
letters input in a second input window and outputs the request
signals to the controller 180. It is preferable that the
screen-flip request signal and the storage request signals are
input to the input unit 130 through touch operations. The input
unit 130 includes a letter input unit 131 that is mapped with
letters, such as Roman letters, Korean letters, numbers, and
special letters, and outputs a user's letter selection signal to
the controller 180. The letter input unit 131 is installed to the
terminal in the same side as a sub-display unit 142. The letter
input unit 131 inputs user's inputting letter information to be
displayed on the second window of the sub-display unit 142 and
outputs it to the controller 180.
[0022] The display unit 140 is implemented by a Liquid Crystal
Display (LCD) or an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED). The
display unit 140 displays various display data generated in the
terminal and a current operation state of the terminal on the
screen. When the display unit 140 is implemented by a touch screen,
the display unit 140 also serves to provide an input function, in
addition to the input function provided by the input unit 130.
[0023] The display unit 140 is configured to include a main display
unit 141 installed to one side of the terminal and a sub-display
unit 142 installed to an opposite side, which is the same side as
the side to which the input unit 130 is installed. The main display
unit 141 is installed to one side of the terminal that does not
have a letter input unit 131. The main display unit 141 displays
applications, such as a JAVA.TM. application, executed in the
terminal. The sub-display unit 142 is installed to the same side as
the letter input unit 131, i.e., the opposite side of the terminal.
The sub-display unit 142 displays letters input through the letter
input unit 131.
[0024] For convenience of description, windows for inputting
letters displayed on the main display unit 141 and sub-display unit
142 are called first and second input windows, correspondingly and
respectively.
[0025] When the main display unit 141 displays the first input
window, it also shows a key for flipping a screen to the
sub-display unit 142. When the sub-display unit 142 displays the
second input window, it also shows a key for saving letters
displayed on the second input window and for displaying saved
letters on the first input window.
[0026] The storage unit 150 stores programs and data necessary for
the whole operation of the terminal according to an embodiment of
the present invention. In particular, the storage unit 150 stores a
program for executing a JAVA.TM. application to be displayed on the
display unit 140. When a letter storing request signal is input
through the letter input unit 141, the storage unit 150 saves
letters displayed on the second input window according to the
control of the controller 180.
[0027] The controller 180 controls the whole operation of the
terminal. The controller 180 generates and displays a
screen-flipping key on the main display unit 141, upon displaying
the first input window on the main display unit 141 during the
execution of the JAVA.TM. application. The controller 180 displays
the second input window on the sub-display unit 142 upon selecting
the screen-flipping key. When a letter is selected, the controller
180 displays the selected letter on the second input window. When a
key for storing a letter is selected, the controller 180 saves the
letters displayed on the second input window in the storage unit
150. The controller 180 also displays the saved letters on the
first input window.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing a method for inputting
letters in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present
invention. FIGS. 4A to 4G illustrate screens of the terminal shown
when the method for inputting letters as shown in FIG. 3 is
executed.
[0029] The controller 180 executes a JAVA.TM. application according
to a user's request, in step S301. The controller 180 determines
whether a request signal, for displaying a first input window on
the main display unit 14 during the execution of the JAVA.TM.
application, is input, in step S303. When the request signal is
input at step S303, the controller 180 displays the first input
window 403 and a screen-flip key 405 on the main display unit 141,
in step S305.
[0030] When a selection for inputting a letter is requested during
the execution of the JAVA.TM. application, the controller 180
generates and displays the first input window 403, i.e., when a
selection for inputting letters, such as a zip code and local area
code numbers, is requested during the JAVA.TM. application, the
controller 180 calls a `TextBox API` or `TextField API` of the
JAVA.TM. application to generate a first input window 403 and then
displays the generated first input window 403 on the main display
unit 141. When the first input window 403 is displayed, the
controller 180 displays a screen-flip key 405 on the main display
unit 141, in which the screen-flip key 405 serves to display the
second input window 410 on the sub-display unit 142. The controller
180 can display the screen-flip key 405 in a soft key form on the
main display unit 141.
[0031] The controller 180 determines whether the screen-flip key
405 is selected, in step S307. The controller 180, as shown on FIG.
4B, displays a message 409 to notify that a screen-flip on the main
display unit 141 has occurred, in step S308, upon concluding that
the screen-flip key 405 is selected at step S307. The controller
180, as shown in FIG. 4C, displays the second input window 410 on
the sub-display unit 142, in step S309. The screen-flip message 409
refers to a message that notifies that the second input window 410
is displayed on the sub-display unit 142. The controller 180
generates and displays a cursor for indicating letters selected by
a user on the second input window 410. The controller 180 can also
display a save key 417 on the subs-display unit 142, in which the
save key 417 serves to save letters to be displayed on the second
input window 410.
[0032] The controller 180 determines whether a letter is selected
through the input unit 130, in step S311. When a letter is
selected, the controller 180, as shown in FIG. 4D, displays the
selected letter on the second input window 410 of the sub-display
unit 142, in step S313. After that, the controller 180 further
determines whether a letter is additionally selected, in step S315.
When a letter is additionally selected at step S315, the controller
180, as shown in FIG. 4E, displays the additionally selected letter
after the letter previously displayed on the second input window
410 at step S313.
[0033] On the other hand, when a letter is not additionally
selected at step S315, the controller 180 further determines
whether a save key 417 is selected to save letters displayed on the
second input window 410, in s step S317. When a save key 417 is
selected at S317, the controller 180 saves the letters, displayed
on the second window 410, in the storage unit 150, in step S319. On
the contrary, when a save key 417 is not selected at step S317, the
controller 180 displays letters on the second input window 410
until a selection of the save key 417 is detected, in steps S313 to
S317.
[0034] After saving the letters, the controller 180, as shown in
FIG. 4F, displays a message to notify that a screen-flip on the
sub-display unit 142 has occurred, in step S321. After that, the
controller 180, as shown in FIG. 4G, displays the saved letters on
the first input window 403, in step S323. The screen-flip message
409 refers to a message that notifies that a letter is displayed on
the first input window 403.
[0035] For example, when a screen-flip key 405 is selected through
the main display unit 141 during the execution of the JAVA.TM.
application, the controller 180 calls an "ExternalTextBox API" of
the JAVA.TM. application and displays the second input window 410
on the sub-display 142. The controller 180 displays the save key
417 on the sub-display unit 142. When a letter is selected through
the input unit 130, the controller 180 displays the selected letter
on the second input window 410 and executes the JAVA.TM.
application using the displayed letter.
[0036] The screen-flip request signal and save request signal are
generated by a soft key in an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, however, it should be understood that the present
invention is not limited to the soft key of the exemplary
embodiment. For example, the present invention can be implemented
in such a way that the screen-flip request signal and save request
signal are generated by a hot key or through an RF signal or a
voice signal.
[0037] As described in the foregoing, the mobile communication
terminal and the method for inputting letters in the mobile
communication terminal, according to the present invention, can
input letters to be displayed on a main display unit installed to
one side thereof, through a letter input unit installed to another
side thereof, thereby increasing the usability of the main display
unit.
[0038] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have
been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that
many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept
herein described, which may be apparent to those skilled in the
art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary
embodiments of the present invention as defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *